Manufacture of briquets.



murnn srairns rnrnnr orrron FELIX A. VOGEL, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIG-NOR T0 GENERAL BRIQUETTING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATIONOF MAINE.

No Drawing.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that l, FELIX A. VoeEL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Briquets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of fuel briquets and is directed toward obtaining economies in the art as well as special advantages, such as are hereinafter described.

In the manufacture of fuel briquets, particularly from anthracite culm, difiiculty has heretofore been encountered because of the development of an excessive amount of smoke or the tendency to disintegrate by the action of weather and elements. These difiiculties are mainly attributable to the particular bindin medium which is employed. The requisites of a proper binding medium are that its price should be low enough to make its use commercially feasible, that it should burn with as little smoke as possible and that at the same time it should be impervious to disintegration from the action of the elements or the weather. Many mediums have been tried but they have been criticized as defective on at least one of the grounds heretofore stated. By the process hereinafter described, I secure a binding medium which combines the maximum weather resisting qualities'with the minimum of nuisance conditions as to combustion products.

A quantity of mineral oil such as petroleum residuum, crude oil, asphaltum or the like, is heated to a point well above the boiling point of water. This material is kept in a condition of rapid circulation beginr ning as soon as a fluid condition is present, such circulation being brought about by hand or by a mechanical device. After the mass has reached a temperature of about 250 F. or above, I add sulfite pitch or a solution of sulfite pitch from time to time, taking care that the temperature is maintained and the stirring continued to secure an emulsion or intimate mixture of the two ingredients. The sulfite pitch solution is in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an to, rem.

Application filed July 22, 1916. Serial No. 110,655.

highly concentrated form when it is brought in contact with the oil of the high temperature. The sulfite pitch may be such as is obtained as a residue in the manufacture of paper. The proportion of the two ingredients may vary between wide limits, according to the nature of the service demanded. The more usual proportions vary from 35% sulfite pitch solution and 65% oil to 35% oil and 65% sulfite pitch solution, although the proportion in proper cases may vary as much as 15 and 85% of the respective ingredients. The mixture thus produced is maintained at the original high temperature until the mixing or emulsifying is complete; the mixture is then generally poured directly into the machine for digesting the coal mass preliminary to briqueting. After the coal mass has had the binder thoroughly worked into it, the resultant material, although relatively dry, is in a condition in which it may readily be subjected to the usual briqueting or compressing operation. The ultimate briquet is firm and durable and does not crumble or break apart from exposure to varying weather conditions, and burns without giving ofi ofiensive, excess smoke.

What I claim is:

1. That improvement in the art of making fuel briquets which consists in heating an oily material to approximately 250 F. or over, then adding thereto from time to time sulfite pitch solution, constantly agitating the mixture, maintaining the mixture at the original high temperature until the mim'ng or emulsifying is complete and finally incorporating the product thus produced with the finely divided particles of the fuel to be briqueted, and then forming the briquets.

2. The improvement in the fuel briquet art which consists in heating an oily material to approximately 250 F. or over, then adding thereto from time to time concentrated sulfite pitch solution, constantly agitating the mixture and maintaining the mixture at the original high temperature until the mixing or emulsifying is complete and finally incorporating the product thus prof duced with the finely divided particles .of

the fuel to be briqueted, and then forming the briquets.

3. In the fuel briquet art, the product be- 5 ing essentially a-body of agglomerated particles of fuel and a binder such as is produced by periodically adding a solution of sulfite pitch to a constantly agitated oily mass having a temperature of approximately 250 F. or over, and maintaining the 13 mixture at the original high temperature until the mixing oremulsifying is complete.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. r

FELIX A. VOGEL. 

